Losing Sleep

A lot has been written and talked about insomnia and lack of sleep. In some people it is celebrated as being a major part of their success, Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill being two notables. However for the majority, a good nights sleep is essential.

If there is an expectation of not sleeping or waking and not returning to sleep then that is what will happen. As the top sports stars will tell you it is about focus. To be the best at not sleeping takes focus and practice can make perfect.

Missing the odd night’s sleep does not hurt and as most new parents will tell you, broken nights with a baby are not going to lead to long term insomnia. There are many other factors some physical, most mental.

There are a number of steps one can take to make the possibility of sleep more likely; they are not in any particular order:

•  Eat the evening meal earlier; say a minimum of 4 hours before going to bed. Eat a balanced diet, including fruit and vegetables. Enjoy a treat, such as a small amount of good quality plain chocolate.

•  Avoid large quantities of alcohol, and preferably refrain totally. One small glass of wine with a meal.

•  If work is busy with many tasks the next day, week or month, write them down. If there are problems to be solved, write them down, some of the problem can be trying to remember it needs solving, once recorded, then the mind can sub consciously work on a solution. Also find the positive side to the problem.

•  Despite the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts to junk alternative remedies, herbal infusions such as chamomile can help, a Lavender Room Fragrance or a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil on the pillow can be beneficial and the Night Flower Essence can be very effective.

•  Unless prescribed to help with perhaps a short-term trauma, avoid sleeping tablets.

•  Avoid watching or listening to the news before bed. Generally the broadcast news comprises unsettling soft news such as financial problems just around the corner, or hard news such as murder and terrorism. News is best obtained by the written word when the information can be considered and understood at one’s own pace.

•  Avoid unsettling and disturbing programmes before bed, including soap operas, which can provide compulsive viewing with unpleasant and violent scenes. Such programmes should be watched at a time well before bed when the mind has the opportunity to put it into context.

•  Listen to relaxing music.

•  Listen to a radio discussion on a topic of interest and preferably without adverts.

•  Read a book.

Taking regular exercise such as walking outside has many beneficial effects. Dressed for the weather even a cold wet day can make a very positive difference to one’s outlook and physical tiredness can help sleep.

Notice the changing seasons and feeling part of the natural world can have a calming influence and the physical exercise will have a beneficial impact on health.

It is not selfish to make some time for yourself during the day, not every minute has to be filled.

If waking in the early hours and not able to easily return to sleep, reading a few pages of a book can divert the mind. If there is a worry which is the reason for not returning to sleep, write it down and deal with it in the morning.

Make a hot drink and read some more.

Worries may be helped by transferring them to an object. Worry sheep are an ideal medium for this. Tell each sheep a worry before going to bed, put them under your pillow before sleep and by morning your worries may have disappeared, or at least seem less daunting.

Sleep is important but the odd 'lost night' should not be seen as a problem, and by trying some of the points above it may be possible to avoid a long term problem.